Targeting of Painting of fourth to roX1 and roX2 proximal sites suggests evolutionary links between dosage compensation and the regulation of the fourth chromosome in Drosophila melanogaster.

ABSTRACT: In Drosophila melanogaster, two chromosome-specific targeting and regulatory systems have been described. The male-specific lethal (MSL) complex supports dosage compensation by stimulating gene expression from the male X-chromosome, and the protein Painting of fourth (POF) specifically targets and stimulates expression from the heterochromatic 4(th) chromosome. The targeting sites of both systems are well characterized, but the principles underlying the targeting mechanisms have remained elusive. Here we present an original observation, namely that POF specifically targets two loci on the X-chromosome, PoX1 and PoX2 (POF-on-X). PoX1 and PoX2 are located close to the roX1 and roX2 genes, which encode noncoding RNAs important for the correct targeting and spreading of the MSL-complex. We als

SUBMITTER: Lundberg LE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3737172 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature